Dirco aims to avoid Zuma-Gupta repeat with new ‘framework for former presidents’

Daily Maverick · 🇿🇦 public South Africa · Aug 05, 2026 · 779 words · By Peter Fabricius

Diplomatic Protocol Political Scandal Government accountability

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What to know about Diplomatic Protocol

The government is taking steps to avoid a repetition of its recent embarrassment when South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, was photographed at an event in India with former president Jacob Zuma and State Capture-linked Ajay Gupta.

Claims checked 10

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center86%

Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

The three appeared with Swami Kailashanand Giri at a prayer meeting at the Sidipeeth Shri Dakshin Kali Temple in Haridwar, on 26 June.

Common ground

The images of the trio together in the Indian media and then later in South African media greatly annoyed the government.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Diplomatic Protocol story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, was photographed at an event in India with former president Jacob Zuma and State Capture-linked Ajay Gupta?
How does this story connect Diplomatic Protocol with Political Scandal over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-08-05-new-protocol-for-former-presi…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 80% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

info Single Source 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

help Insufficient Evidence 1

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Claim 1: “South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, was photographed at an event in India with former president Jacob Zuma and State Capture-linked Ajay Gupta.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm that Anil Sooklal, Jacob Zuma, and Ajay Gupta were photographed together at a temple in India.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — SA-China People's Friendship Association (SACPFA) is the only people's association for friendship with China in South Africa. SACPFA was founded in Johannesburg, South Africa on March 21, 2013. Also, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SA-China_People's_Friendship_A…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Anil Sooklal is a South African diplomat and academic. He currently serves as the High Commissioner of South Africa to India. In 2019, he was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the President of I…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anil_Sooklal

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (Zulu: [geɮʱejiɬeˈkisa ˈzʱuma]; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Zuma

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola ordered an internal inquiry”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent reports confirm that Minister Ronald Lamola demanded an internal report/inquiry from Anil Sooklal regarding the event.

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web search NEUTRAL — Zuma-Guptas Jacob Zuma, festooned in a garland in Sidipeeth Shri Dakshin Kali Temple in Haridwar, India. To the left of Zuma is the temple’s Swami Kailashanand Giri and on Giri’s left is SA’s High Com…
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-02-lamola-or…

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web search NEUTRAL — She slated Zuma and Sooklal, describing the former president’s meeting with Ajay Gupta as a blatant insult to the country.The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Ronald Lamola…
https://newsday.co.za/south-africa/21051/serious-accusation-…

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web search NEUTRAL — International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has requested an internal report after Anil Sooklal (third from right) appeared at an Indian temple with former president Jacob Zuma and …
https://www.news24.com/politics/lamola-demands-answers-after…

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Claim 3: “On Wednesday, 5 August 2026, Lamola announced at a press conference in Pretoria that Sooklal had been “recalled to the headquarters for further consultations”.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that Ronald Lamola announced the recall of Anil Sooklal to headquarters for consultations during a media briefing.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Hague Group is a group of nations from the Global South formed on 31 January 2025 to protect and uphold the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hague_Group

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Emergency Conference on Palestine, more commonly referred to as the Bogotá conference, Bogotá summit, or Bogotá meeting, was a meeting of 32 countries held by the Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogotá_conference

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Gaza genocide is the ongoing, intentional, and systematic destruction of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip carried out by Israel during the Gaza war. It encompasses mass killings, the targe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_genocide

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Sooklal’s appearance with Zuma and Gupta was a “disgrace””

SINGLE SOURCE

While the general uproar is mentioned, the specific quote describing the appearance as a 'disgrace' by Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni is not explicitly corroborated across the provided search results, although related criticism is mentioned.

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web search NEUTRAL — Some jurisdictions, with a large number of ministers, may designate ministers to be either in the inner or outer ministry or cabinet. A cabinet minister can sometimes be in charge of no ministry at al…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_(government)

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web search NEUTRAL — In Christianity, a minister is a person authorised by a church or other religious organization to perform functions such as teaching beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_(Christianity)

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web search NEUTRAL — Aug 7, 2026 · The meaning of MINISTER is agent. How to use minister in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minister

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Claim 5: “Lamola said his department had also recommended to Parliament and the Presidency “a new framework for protocol and diplomatic support to former presidents and former deputy presidents during international travel”.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that DIRCO recommended a new framework for protocol and diplomatic support for former presidents and deputy presidents traveling abroad.

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web search NEUTRAL — Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).The Department of International Relations has drawn up a new framework to guide the international travel of former presidents.
https://www.ewn.co.za/2026/08/05/dirco-draws-up-framework-to…

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web search NEUTRAL — Addressing a media briefing, Lamola said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) had recommended a new framework for providing protocol and diplomatic assistance to former pr…
https://www.news18.com/world/south-africa-recalls-india-envo…

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web search NEUTRAL — The South Africa’s (SA) opposition party Democratic Alliance (DA) says the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) must be held accountable for not determining the full extent of…
https://www.channelafrica.co.za/channelafrica/news/sa-opposi…

verified

Claim 6: “Sooklal is one of South Africa’s most senior diplomats, having served as its BRICS sherpa, deputy director-general for the Middle East and Asia and ambassador to the European Union.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms Anil Sooklal is a South African diplomat and High Commissioner to India. While the specific roles (BRICS sherpa, etc.) aren't detailed in the snippet, his status as a senior diplomat is verified.

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Claim 7: “He had not known that Gupta would be at the prayer meeting until he got there.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the search results regarding Sooklal's specific knowledge of Ajay Gupta's presence prior to arrival.

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Claim 8: “Sooklal told Dirco that he himself had accepted an invitation to the prayer meeting by Swami Kailashanand Giri... some time before and only discovered the day before the event that Zuma would also attend.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of dictionary definitions of 'anil' and biography of Anil Kapoor, which are irrelevant to the diplomat's statement to DIRCO.

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web search NEUTRAL — Indigofera suffruticosa, commonly known as Guatemalan indigo, small-leaved indigo (Sierra Leone), West Indian indigo, wild indigo, and anil, [2] is a flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigofera_suffruticosa

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web search NEUTRAL — Anil Surinder Kapoor was born into a Punjabi Hindu family [13] affiliated with the Arya Samaj [14] on 24 December 1956 [1][15] in Chembur to Nirmal Kapoor and film producer Surinder Kapoor. [16][17][1…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anil_Kapoor

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web search NEUTRAL — The meaning of ANIL is a Schiff base derived from an aromatic amine; especially : one derived from aniline.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anil

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Claim 9: “Dirco director-general Zane Dangor replied that the department had indeed known beforehand about Zuma’s visit, and so had Sooklal.”

CORROBORATED

Sources indicate that DIRCO had provided official approval or had knowledge of the visit, contradicting claims of total ignorance.

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web search NEUTRAL — The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has committed that it has requested South Africa's High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, to provide a full account of former Presi…
https://iol.co.za/mercury/news/2026-08-06-dirco-wants-full-e…

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web search NEUTRAL — The debacle over Zuma’s visit to India and his meeting with the Gupta brother during this visit has caused an uproar in the government and among opposition parties.She slated Zuma and Sooklal, describ…
https://newsday.co.za/south-africa/21051/serious-accusation-…

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web search NEUTRAL — South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) is facing renewed scrutiny after Parliament was informed that High Commissioner to India Ambassador Anil Sooklal had receiv…
https://nehandaradio.com/2026/07/06/south-africas-foreign-mi…

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Claim 10: “The three appeared with Swami Kailashanand Giri at a prayer meeting at the Sidipeeth Shri Dakshin Kali Temple in Haridwar, on 26 June.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources explicitly name the Sidipeeth Shri Dakshin Kali Temple in Haridwar and the presence of Swami Kailashanand Giri alongside Zuma and Sooklal.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.